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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. can — a tin
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ground — a position
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ground — the earth
  10. press — newspapers
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. can — a tin
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rock — music
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — to push
  19. branch — a division
  20. bass — the fish
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com